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| Author | Giordimaina Mariella |
| Abstract | The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of graduate nurses during their transition period from a student to a nurse. Ten graduate nurses emerging from various cohorts participated in the study. Data was collected by means of tape recorded structured interviews. These were transcribed and analysed by using thematic analysis. Four themes emerged from the data: 'role conflict, being different', 'novice nurse', and becoming a nurse'. The findings reveal that graduate nurses encounter many difficulties during their first year as qualified staff They recalled that they had to compromise their values with those of the hospital system, and for them this was a major source of role conflict. They also experienced difficulties in fitting in and become accepted as part of the nursing team by the other nurses. The main reason was their being perceived as different. The graduate nurses also felt that being degree nurses, it was their responsibility to maintain standards in nursing and they felt that this was not always easy. As regards their clinical practice, the participants felt that although they were able to carry out basic nursing care, they found it difficult to deal with new and complex situations. Overall, the graduate nurses were proud of what they had achieved. They considered nursing to be a challenging career and were happy to be in the caring profession. These findings indicate that the graduate nurses' overall experiences of their transition period from a nursing student to a qualified graduate nurse are similar to the experiences of graduate nurses documented in the literature. It is suggested that further larger scale studies are undertaken before any conclusions can be drawn, and to address the problems identified in this study. |
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| Key words | Transition, Nurses, Student, Perception, Thesis |